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Speaking from New York, Minister for Africa and the Middle East, Tobias Ellwood, said:

I am deeply concerned about the violence around protests in Kinshasa and other cities including reports that a number of civilians and policemen have been killed. I urge both the DRC Government and opposition parties to take measures to calm the situation. 皇冠体育app Congolese people鈥檚 democratic right to peaceful protest must be protected.

皇冠体育app DRC鈥檚 constitution is clear that the democratic aspirations of the Congolese people should be met through elections, particularly Presidential elections. This is also the unanimous view of the UN Security Council. 皇冠体育app United Kingdom regrets that these elections have not been called, 3 months before the end of the President鈥檚 term, as the Constitution requires. I call on all sides to reach agreement urgently on a date for Presidential elections as soon as possible in 2017.

皇冠体育app UK has made clear that it stands ready to support the DRC鈥檚 electoral process both financially and diplomatically. However the primary responsibility for organising elections rests with the Government of the DRC. One of the greatest legacies President Kabila can leave his people is a peaceful and democratic transition of power, the first in the DRC鈥檚 history. We urge President Kabila and his government to rapidly deliver on this responsibility.

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